The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has sealed Cornerstone Quarry, operated by Istanbul Quarry in the Dutse area of Abuja, after a blasting incident sent rocks flying into Graceland High School, injuring students and staff and damaging school facilities.
According to a statement issued in Abuja by NESREA’s Assistant Director, Press, Nwamaka Ejiofor, the incident occurred around 12:30 p.m. while students were writing examinations. A loud blast was followed by rocks hitting the school premises, leaving 11 students and two staff members injured. Nearby shops were also affected.
Deputy Director, Conservation Monitoring, Glory Uboh, said NESREA intervened immediately due to the life-threatening nature of the incident. She noted that preliminary investigations revealed violations of the National Environmental (Quarrying and Blasting Operations) Regulations 2013.
She added that the quarry would be sanctioned at the conclusion of the investigation.
In a separate enforcement action, NESREA, in collaboration with the Ogun State Ministry of Environment, sealed several recycling plants in Ogijo community for failing to comply with the National Environmental (Battery Control) Regulations 2024.
The agency reported that the operators failed to meet standards for the safe and environmentally sound management of used lead-acid batteries. The regulations require proper handling of ULAB slag and metal residues, annual blood lead testing for workers, provision of personal protective equipment, and strict adherence to community and environmental safety protocols.
Recyclers are also mandated to conduct annual environmental impact audits, transition to cleaner recycling technologies, and participate in pilot projects aimed at reusing slag for bricks and cement production.
NESREA said the enforcement action follows extensive assessments and sensitization programmes conducted under the Project for Responsible Battery and Metal Recycling (PROBAMET), which seeks to align local operations with international best practices.
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